Latch opening and window actuating mechanism



Aug. 10, 1943. L. J. GOUIN 2,326,456

LATCH OPENING AND WINDOW ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 28, 1940 INVENTOR Lou/s J. Goa/N ATTORN -Y Patented Aug. 10 1943 Summi- STATES siren T -F FICE J LATCH orsNiNG AND WINDOW ACTUATING V MECHANISM' i Louis J. GouimEast Orange, Nell: Application December 28, 1940, Serial No. 372,023

" 2 Claims. "(01. 268-422) This invention relates to a combination mech anism designed for releasing the latch bolt-of a door while also being capable of actuating the window panel arranged in the'door to open and close the latter. More particularly the invention relates to a combined control device or mechanism of this kind which is adaptable for use in connection with motor vehicle doors and in which means is provided to retain the latch operating element of the device against movement or operation; said means being manually releasable to facilitate operation of the latch opening element; a further object being to provide a novel lever linkage or coupling between'a manually actuated button and the bolt or latch rod for minimizing the pressure upon the button in releasingthe latch to open 'a door; and with these and .otherobjects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction; efficient in use, and

which is constructed as hereinafter more fully described i The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of'which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate'parts of, my improvement are designatedby suitable ref-j erence characters in-each of the views, and' i f which: 7 V.

Fig l is a horizontal sectionalvie'w througha device made accordingto my invention, diagrammatically illustrating its arrangementin. a door.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 24 of Fi 1 taken through the hub portion of the device.

Fig. 3 is a view similar tojFig. 1 illustrating only part of the construction andshowing a modification. V. V 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ,onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3. r

The combination latch opening and window ac tuating device or mechanism herein disclosed;

constitutes a continuation of the structure dis-l.

closed in my Patent #2222659 dated November 26. 1940, in which patent thegeneral adaptation of the invention is illustrated.

It is one of the distinctpurposes of m inven-T tion to provide not only a finger pressedebutton" in combination with awindow operating crank,

so'that the one device may perform two distinct,

functions and eliminate the use of independent handles or control devices for the two operations tobe performed, but also in providing afurtherdegree of safety in latching or retaining 'thebutton against operation withoutlthe performance of one additional operation on the part ofthe operator; namely, to actuate an element releasing the button latchor retaining element to provide 7 free manual operation of said button. The latch- 1 ing and retaining element is automatically returned to normal position upon the released the applied pressure on said button, and when the latter is returnedito normal position.

Further, it is afeature of my invention to are range the releasing element within the boundaries of the handle member or crankeinployeol for ac-' tuatin'g'the window, so as to render'said element substantially invisible, and further to guard and shield this element against accidental operation to accomplish'the'ultimate end of positively guardingagainst accidental opening of a' door. A further feature of thy-invention resides in utilizing aesubstantially large diameter'button" for moving the doorlatch into open position and in a minimizin the movement implied thereto as well as in employing an operating'lever having sufficient leverage to minimize the pressureapplied to the button in'unlatching the door.

In the present illustrations, I have eliminated the window mechanism and details of the door structure in order to simplify the illustration, but

the coupling and association of the parts will'be apparent to those skilled in the art; particularly in view of the more complete disclosure as'is illustrated in my patent hereinbefore cited."

InFigi 1 of the drawing, is represents the in-' her surface of th et'rim line of amotor vehicle door. II shows part of the supporting plate to" which is attached'a bushing E2 in which is arranged a shaft l3 having at its outer end portion, a gear l a or otherdriver for actuating the window of a doorin any type'and kind of window actuat ing mechanism. Ihe window israised and lowered by the rotationof a crank or operating handle I 5. 'The crank l 5 has a substantially cupshaped hub portion ldhaving an enlarged flange portion I! at its open end. i

o thebottom'wall s of the bushingis a thL-nble-shaped socket part it, the bore 20 of which is offangular-cross sectional form to ree I ceive' the correspondingly formed shaft Id. The bushing is secured a shaft by a screw 25, as clearly illustratedinFig.

1 of the drawing, The socket i5 includes a flange 22 which projectsbeyond thebottom wall M3 to, form an annular recess on said wall receiving the lower ring 23 of a button frame This frame includes another ic'coupled with and spaced 1 from the ring- 23 by a plurality of key rods 26 Four of the rods 2% are employed in the con 'struction shown, and these rods pass through inst displacement from the V portion l6.

tion that the diameter of the button is such as corresponding apertures 21 in the bottom wall I8. One end of the rods 26 is screwed, riveted or otherwise fixedly secured in the ring 25 as seen at 28, and the other ends thereof have a press fit in the ring 23.

At 29 is shown a button which is cup-shaped or thimble-shaped in form and detachably coupled with the ring 25 in any desired manner so as to give access to the interior of the hub IS in coupling and uncoupling the handle with the shaft I3, as will be apparent. In the construction shown, the button is illustrated as being in dicated at 30. The button ZBihasa large chamber 3| which fits freely over the socket 19, thus providing free action of the buttonwinthe hub It will be understood in this connec- -to pass freely into the chamber 32 of the hub Theflange portion H of" the hub i' fits over, an escutcheon ortrimming'plate or ring33. .Within' the-plate 33 is a chamber 34, and in this. cham-- her is mounted abutton latching or holding elementi35= Whichis in-the form of an elliptical or Figzi2-of' the drawing. -The flattened SldesAl tionssd'l in the sides otthe hub It so as to retain the element 3,5 in'proper alinemer tin the movement oiithelatch 33.-thereof into and out of It' will appear that the ear operative positions. 7 31. extends through and operates in: an aperture 43 .formed: in. the escutcheonlplate, and by pushinginwardlyupon the knob 38, that is to say, in the ,direction ofithe axis ofthe button 29,-the- In this position; the latch extends into a notch 45 formed in one.- ofthe posts or keyrocis 26-,--as-will clearly appear upon a consideration or? screw-threaded engagement with the ring as in-.

ofthe element -.35-fit in notched or recessed porelement .isfactuated.towithdraw the latch 35* from the recess or notchAil; thus releasingthe button to facilitateiree inward movement thereof by pressure applied totlieouter surface of thebutton; 7 i

At this time,it iswell to point out'that this operation may beperiormed by placing a-finger of. the hand around the -handle=l5 adjacent the 1 hub portion, and by moving this finger :in a di.

rection radialiywith respect tothehub, and then applying the thumb to the button v21 The two right-angle operationsare necessary, however. before the button canbe operated. ,It will be understood that when the button 29 is eleasedandpressure is releasedfrom the knobu38,-the.

button will automatically. bev locked .by inward movement of the latch bolt'35into. the recess will not be transmitted to the button, 29. 7 over, his button is retained against such movement by its retaining element 35 which includes It will thus be seen that as the button 29 is manually moved into the hub portion IS, the lever 45 will be swung into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1, thus drawing the rod in the direction of the arrow X to retract the latch bolt of the door, facilitating the movement of the door into open position. When the button 294's released, the lever '45 will automatically return to the full-line position, thus automatically moving the latch bolt of the door into closed or operative position.

From the foregoing, it will appear that there is no positive coupling between the button 29 and the lever 46; Thus, the operation of closing thevehicle door which would impart an inward movement to the latch; bolt and also movement to the rod. 50 in the direction of the arrow X,

Morethelatch 36. 3'

In the construction-shown in Figs. 3 and 4 0:-

the drawing, I have shown a slight modification,

lever 56 which is pivoted within the hollow or pivoted end portion of the lever.

at a point to engagethe upper ring 62 ofa frame 63, otherwise identical with respect to the frame 24,.exceptthat the recess 40 in one ofthe rods of the frame has been dispensed with and therods are located in a different position than that i shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The button 6.4 issecured to the frame 63 as in Fig. 1, and otherwise the structure in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same asthatshown in Figs. 1 and 2; part ofthe' shaft being shown at 65. The lever 56 ofv the button latch elementshown in Fig. 3

is supported inoperative position by a coil spring. r 66 so that the lever extends beyond the inner surfaceof the handle 51, thus. in applying a finger around the handle adjac'ent the hub 6 I, the appli- V cation of pressure willdraw the lever 56 'into the;

handle and swing the latch 53 out of engagement with the button frame-63 or the top ring.

fiz jthereof; thus providing free inward movement ofthe'button as will be apparent. 'When the fingerisremoved from the lever 56 and pressure is relieved from l thebuttOn 62, the button will automatically return to latched position as shown in Fig. '3 in the same manner as the return of the button 29 in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

,It will appear-that in both forms of constru 7 tion shown, two independent operations are required to move thelatchbolt of the vehicle door into inoperative position. In the first instance,

that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, a radial movement upon the knob 33 is required before applying pressure to the button. 25,- ,whereas in Fig; 3, a-pinching or gripping, action of the hand' upon the handle 51 to dep'ressthe" lever 56 is re- 49 *being employed to aid. in supporting the lever in this position; The springof the latch belt of the car door, which iscoupled with a long link 3 portion 5| encircling the bushing l2. and terminating at its inner-end in a curved arm 52'which is'pivotally coupledto the end 5301 thelever it,

as seenat 54.

quired before inward pressure can be applied upon the button 54. In connection with the last'operation, it will beunderstoodthat. the pivotal: mountingof the latch 59 in the lever prevents.

accidental inward movement of the button 64.

1 Having fully described my invention, what I claim as newand. desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. The combination with the shaft ofa window panel actuating mechanism of the class-described and a door latch operatingrod, of a crank have ing a cup-shaped hub portion, a socket within said hub portion keyed to said shaft, means for re-- taining the hub portion against displacement 1 from the shaft, a button unit keyed to and slidably engaging said hub portion, said unit having a cup-shaped button at its outer end for.tele-.

scoping engagement with the socket of said hub portion inthe movement of the button into the hub portion, means on the button unit cooperating with the hub limiting outward movementof said unit, means movable radially in the hub portion cooperating with said button unit to retain said unit against inward movement in the hub portion, and means for manually moving said last named means into inoperative position. 7

2. The combination with the shaft of. a window panel actuating mechanism of the class described and a door latch operating rod, of a crank hav-t ing a cup-shaped hub portion, a socket Within said hub portion keyed to said shaft, means for re taining the hub portion against displacement from the shaft, a buttonv unit keyed to andislid- I ably engaging said hub portion, said unit having a cup-shapedbutton at tisouter end for telescop ing engagement with the socket of said hub portion in themovement of the button into the hub portion, means on the button unit cooperating with thehub limiting outward movement of said unit, means movable radially inthe hubportion cooperating with said button unit to retain said, unit against inward movement in the hub portion, means 'for manually moving said last named means into inoperative position, a lever in operative engagement with said button unit and said latch operat ng r0d,-said crank comprising a han-- dle member extending radially from said hub portion, and said-last named means being disposed Within the boundaries of the handle'member adjacent the hub portion;

LOUIS JJG UIN. 1 

